Advice for OCD
For anyone suffering with OCD and anyone who has a loved one suffering with OCD: do you have any coping mechanisms and ways to cope with your urges?
Mine has gotten really bad these past few weeks and I try to ignore my urges but I feel unsettled and get intrusive thoughts if I don’t fulfil them then get major anxiety. I recently got a job and now I keep getting urges to spend all my money even though I don’t want to, but I keep feeling the need to buy things that I don’t need or else something bad might happen. I can’t focus and I procrastinate every day, my body and energy levels can’t keep up with my constant urges. Can anyone relate? Does anyone have any tips or things they do to help their compulsions?
Mine has gotten really bad these past few weeks and I try to ignore my urges but I feel unsettled and get intrusive thoughts if I don’t fulfil them then get major anxiety. I recently got a job and now I keep getting urges to spend all my money even though I don’t want to, but I keep feeling the need to buy things that I don’t need or else something bad might happen. I can’t focus and I procrastinate every day, my body and energy levels can’t keep up with my constant urges. Can anyone relate? Does anyone have any tips or things they do to help their compulsions?
For me, prolonged stress is a massive trigger for my OCD as it allows intrusive thoughts to flood in, and the themes of my thoughts often switch. Lots of my intrusive thoughts have centred around identity and self-worth, causing me to ruminate and/or obsessively go through them. I one time just said to myself "I am not my thoughts" which massively helped- OCD is a deceptive and tiresome condition in my opinion. Of course, I also get the checking compulsions and the list goes on and on. I really relate to the procrastination part and it is one thing that has bothered me so much, because its like "I've got no reason to procrastinate, so why am I doing it?" And it is down to the time spent daydreaming/ruminating or doing whatever else I want to do first.
Also, distraction/relaxation is helpful for me, as it calms my nerves and takes the focus away from the thoughts (however, this is only a distraction, not a definitive treatment). I know it sounds cliché, but have you tried arranging appointments GPs/mental health services (I know they take a while) as it may help you get access to ERP (Exposure-Response Prevention) which is supposed to be the "golden-standard" treatment for OCD. I do hope things get better for you, it is most definitely awful and it consumes your day. I won't ask you if you have tried going over your thoughts, as that just feeds into OCD.
If you haven't already, try the OCD-UK website. It's got lots of helpful information on OCD and its treatment.
Hope your OCD gets better.
Also, distraction/relaxation is helpful for me, as it calms my nerves and takes the focus away from the thoughts (however, this is only a distraction, not a definitive treatment). I know it sounds cliché, but have you tried arranging appointments GPs/mental health services (I know they take a while) as it may help you get access to ERP (Exposure-Response Prevention) which is supposed to be the "golden-standard" treatment for OCD. I do hope things get better for you, it is most definitely awful and it consumes your day. I won't ask you if you have tried going over your thoughts, as that just feeds into OCD.
If you haven't already, try the OCD-UK website. It's got lots of helpful information on OCD and its treatment.
Hope your OCD gets better.
Original post by Anonymous
For me, prolonged stress is a massive trigger for my OCD as it allows intrusive thoughts to flood in, and the themes of my thoughts often switch. Lots of my intrusive thoughts have centred around identity and self-worth, causing me to ruminate and/or obsessively go through them. I one time just said to myself "I am not my thoughts" which massively helped- OCD is a deceptive and tiresome condition in my opinion. Of course, I also get the checking compulsions and the list goes on and on. I really relate to the procrastination part and it is one thing that has bothered me so much, because its like "I've got no reason to procrastinate, so why am I doing it?" And it is down to the time spent daydreaming/ruminating or doing whatever else I want to do first.
Also, distraction/relaxation is helpful for me, as it calms my nerves and takes the focus away from the thoughts (however, this is only a distraction, not a definitive treatment). I know it sounds cliché, but have you tried arranging appointments GPs/mental health services (I know they take a while) as it may help you get access to ERP (Exposure-Response Prevention) which is supposed to be the "golden-standard" treatment for OCD. I do hope things get better for you, it is most definitely awful and it consumes your day. I won't ask you if you have tried going over your thoughts, as that just feeds into OCD.
If you haven't already, try the OCD-UK website. It's got lots of helpful information on OCD and its treatment.
Hope your OCD gets better.
Also, distraction/relaxation is helpful for me, as it calms my nerves and takes the focus away from the thoughts (however, this is only a distraction, not a definitive treatment). I know it sounds cliché, but have you tried arranging appointments GPs/mental health services (I know they take a while) as it may help you get access to ERP (Exposure-Response Prevention) which is supposed to be the "golden-standard" treatment for OCD. I do hope things get better for you, it is most definitely awful and it consumes your day. I won't ask you if you have tried going over your thoughts, as that just feeds into OCD.
If you haven't already, try the OCD-UK website. It's got lots of helpful information on OCD and its treatment.
Hope your OCD gets better.
Thank you so much, I can relate so much with the identity and self worth part, my self esteem has been so low this past year, but I’ve been working on my confidence. My OCD manages to manifest itself in every aspect of my life and I hate it, it forces me to do things I don’t wanna do like binge eat food which causes me to gain weight, and then causes my self esteem to go down, I don’t even know how to explain it but ugh. I just got over my obsession with bleach (no joke), it dried my hands out like crazy, and now I’m into lemony cleaning products. OCD seriously is like another person living in your head, I wish we could just part ways so I could be alone.
Original post by Anonymous
Thank you so much, I can relate so much with the identity and self worth part, my self esteem has been so low this past year, but I’ve been working on my confidence. My OCD manages to manifest itself in every aspect of my life and I hate it, it forces me to do things I don’t wanna do like binge eat food which causes me to gain weight, and then causes my self esteem to go down, I don’t even know how to explain it but ugh. I just got over my obsession with bleach (no joke), it dried my hands out like crazy, and now I’m into lemony cleaning products. OCD seriously is like another person living in your head, I wish we could just part ways so I could be alone.
Totally agree with OCD being like another person living in your head, beforehand I’ve likened it to a bully in my head, or a dictator, or even like a video tape playing over and over again.
OCD can have that affect of seemingly invading everything in day-to-day life, from simply walking down the stairs or picking something off the floor.
As for the identity part, OCD and it’s intrusive thoughts are “egodystonic” meaning they often conflict with genuine moral values- e.g. a peaceful person having unwanted intrusive thoughts about harm. It does not represent who you are and I understand how incredibly difficult it can get, some days are better, some days not so much.
But focusing on the joy of day to day life in the mean time, or doing hobbies, or trying to gradually cut down on compulsions (even by 1 is still a good achievement) but obviously don’t feel pressured to do so. In short, take it at your own pace, you are not alone in this. The more positive things we do to combat OCD, the more it seems to keep it’s mouth shut.
Have a good Christmas!!
Original post by Anonymous
Totally agree with OCD being like another person living in your head, beforehand I’ve likened it to a bully in my head, or a dictator, or even like a video tape playing over and over again.
OCD can have that affect of seemingly invading everything in day-to-day life, from simply walking down the stairs or picking something off the floor.
As for the identity part, OCD and it’s intrusive thoughts are “egodystonic” meaning they often conflict with genuine moral values- e.g. a peaceful person having unwanted intrusive thoughts about harm. It does not represent who you are and I understand how incredibly difficult it can get, some days are better, some days not so much.
But focusing on the joy of day to day life in the mean time, or doing hobbies, or trying to gradually cut down on compulsions (even by 1 is still a good achievement) but obviously don’t feel pressured to do so. In short, take it at your own pace, you are not alone in this. The more positive things we do to combat OCD, the more it seems to keep it’s mouth shut.
Have a good Christmas!!
OCD can have that affect of seemingly invading everything in day-to-day life, from simply walking down the stairs or picking something off the floor.
As for the identity part, OCD and it’s intrusive thoughts are “egodystonic” meaning they often conflict with genuine moral values- e.g. a peaceful person having unwanted intrusive thoughts about harm. It does not represent who you are and I understand how incredibly difficult it can get, some days are better, some days not so much.
But focusing on the joy of day to day life in the mean time, or doing hobbies, or trying to gradually cut down on compulsions (even by 1 is still a good achievement) but obviously don’t feel pressured to do so. In short, take it at your own pace, you are not alone in this. The more positive things we do to combat OCD, the more it seems to keep it’s mouth shut.
Have a good Christmas!!
Thank you so much, hope you also have good Christmas!
